Recently, Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove participated in the groundbreaking of SICK, Inc.’s new $27 million dollar campus in Bloomington’s South Loop District. The expansion is expected to create up to 50 new jobs, while retaining their existing Minnesota-based employees.
DEED is supporting this project with a loan of up to $350,000 from the Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF).
Named after the company founder Erwin Sick of Germany, SICK is a leading manufacturer of factory, logistics and process automation technology worldwide. SICK’s North American headquarters has been based in Bloomington since 1997 and has seen substantial growth over the last 24 years.
In 2018, SICK began to search for a site to consolidate its U.S. operations into one campus – either in Minnesota or potentially a different location in the United States. Thanks to support from the City of Bloomington and DEED, SICK will build its 120,000-square-foot facility in Bloomington. This project is the first of four planned phases that will, in total, cost around $100 million for its technology campus.
“We are so pleased to welcome SICK to this new location,” Bloomington Mayor Tim Busse said. “I’m proud that SICK initially chose Bloomington when it began its operations in the United States, and I’m equally proud that we’re able to keep SICK and the jobs it brings here in the South Loop through this innovative arrangement that makes this site viable for the company as it grows.”
“This is a major win for the City of Bloomington and the State of Minnesota. SICK, Inc. could have chosen to go elsewhere, but their decision to continue to invest and grow here is a testament to Minnesota’s strong economy and competitive workforce,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove.
“We’re excited to get started on our new state-of-the-art facility and we’re happy to continue to call the City of Bloomington our home for many more years to come,” said SICK’s CEO Tony Peet. “It feels great knowing we have the support of City of Bloomington and the State of Minnesota in our continued growth.”
The Minnesota Investment Fund provides loans and grants to companies that create and retain high-quality jobs with a focus on industrial, manufacturing and technology-related industries to increase the local and state tax base and improve the economic vitality for all Minnesotans.